Houses and shops reserved for bumiputras may be offered to others if the lots do not get bumiputra buyers within a stipulated period.

However, the Government does not intend to abolish the bumiputra quota altogether, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

“I am aware there are many quarters urging us to either relax the quota restrictions or to impose a bigger quota with regard to home ownership.

“The reason for setting a quota is to avoid any occurrence of discrimination in managing house buying, particularly when it involves housing developers from the private sector.

“The Government does not want to see any communal polarisation in Malaysia,” Abdullah told reporters after handing over the keys of a low-cost housing scheme to the new buyers at Taman Pisang Emas in Gadek, near here, yesterday.

The scheme involves 523 units of houses and 13 shop houses privatised by the Malacca government to Syarikat Rubinamas Sdn Bhd. So far, 252 units have been completed. The remaining are scheduled for completion by 2004.

Asked by reporters if the Government would abolish the bumiputra ownership quota, he replied: “No.”

He added, however, that if there were no bumiputra takers, these units would be offered to others.

“But if there are bumiputeras who want to buy, it’s better for them to buy,” he said.

Speaking at the ceremony, Abdullah said the Housing and Local Government Ministry and the state governments must monitor low-cost projects as they involved government funding.

He said every state government wants to ensure the projects are completed on schedule and if they faced problems, they could inform the Federal Government.

Abdullah also said there should be a good racial mix to reflect the multi-ethnicity of Malaysia in residential areas, whether in city or rural areas.

“The development of new housing projects where houses are occupied by various ethnic groups is a good move as this will help strengthen unity among the people,” he said.